Cricket: Black Caps to play domestic round

New Zealand's test cricketers will make a rare four-day appearance during the second round of the Plunket Shield. Photo / Duncan Brown

New Zealand's test cricketers will make a rare four-day appearance during the second round of the Plunket Shield from November 14-17.

The team return from their tour of Zimbabwe this week and Ross Taylor said they would turn out for their provincial sides in favour of a proposed three-day tour match against New South Wales in Sydney, which has been scrapped from the upcoming tour of Australia.

Black Caps' captain Taylor welcomed the idea and said it'd be only the second time he had played for Central Districts in the past three seasons.

"It adds a lot to the competition having the test batters and the test bowlers out there," Taylor told APNZ from Zimbabwe.

"It's good for our game."

Taylor said depending on which players returned from Africa with niggling injuries would determine exactly who would turn out for their respective provincial sides.

All three domestic games will be played in Christchurch during the round with Canterbury to meet Auckland in Rangiora, Central Districts to play Otago at the Lincoln Green, while Wellington will entertain Northern Districts at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval at Lincoln University.

The round of four day games will serve as a great lead up to the tour of Australia, which includes a four-day game in Brisbane against Australia A from November 24-27 before test matches at the Gabba in Brisbane and Bellerive Oval in Tasmania.